1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight assembly of a liquid crystal display (LCD) module, and more particularly, to a structure for assembling lamp wires for a backlight into an LCD module to stably connect the lamp wires for providing power to a lamp, the lamp being used as the backlight of the LCD module.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, a liquid crystal display (LCD), one type of flat display, provides an excellent visual perception as compared to a cathode-ray tube (CRT); consumes much less power than the CRT of the same size; and produces significantly less heat. Because of these features, in addition to plasma display panel (PDP) and field emission display (FED), the LCD has been drawing particular attention as a next generation display for cellular phones, computer monitors, and TV receivers.
A typical LCD is provided with two thin glass substrates having surfaces that have been specially treated and a liquid crystal injected between the two glass substrates. The liquid crystal is in a state between solid and liquid. The arrangement of the molecules of liquid crystal is changed according to a voltage difference between electrodes formed on the glass substrates. Changing the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules varies the light transmittance through the LCD panel so that varying degrees of brightness and darkness are generated on a display panel, thereby displaying an image. However, the LCD does not emit light by itself, so that a light source such as a lamp is additionally required to display the image on the LCD panel.
Generally, an LCD module is used for a display device of a portable or notebook computer. The LCD module includes a backlight assembly as a light source behind or along the LCD panel.
As shown in FIG. 1, the backlight assembly of the LCD module includes a mold frame 26, a lamp 27, a metal reflecting plate 29, a light-guiding plate 24, a reflecting sheet 25, and a plurality of diffusion and prism sheets 21, 22 and 23.
The rectangular mold frame 26 is formed of synthetic resin, and the lamp 27 for emitting light is mounted at an inner side of the mold frame 26. Also, the metal reflecting plate 29 as a lamp housing surrounds one part of the lamp 27 at the inner side of the mold frame 26 to reflect light emitted from the lamp 27. The light-guiding plate 24 is mounted in parallel with the lamp 27 at the mold frame 26 to guide light emitted from the lamp 27 to an entire surface of the substrate. The reflecting sheet 25 is positioned under the light-guiding plate 24. The plurality of diffusion and prism sheets 21, 22 and 23 are positioned on the light-guiding plate 24.
As shown in FIG. 2, lamp wires 28a and 28b are respectively connected to both ends of the lamp 27 for electrically connecting the lamp to an external power source. At this time, the lamp wires 28 are extracted to the outside of the LCD module through an opening formed at one corner of the mold frame 26 and are connected to the external power source (not shown).
In the related art backlight assembly, the lamp wire 28a connected to one end of the lamp 27, which is apart from the opening, is guided along a receiving groove 26a formed at the edge of the mold frame 26, and is extracted to the outside of the LCD module through the opening. Meanwhile, the wire 28b connected the other end of the lamp 27, which is close to the opening, is directly extracted to the outside of the LCD module through the opening.
In use of such a related art LCD module, if tension is applied to the lamp wires 28, and such force is directly transmitted to a junction between the lamp 27 and the lamp wire 28b, the junction between the lamp 27 and the lamp wire 28b is disconnected, thereby disconnecting the power supply from the lamp 27. Furthermore, the end of the lamp 27, which is close to the opening, may be damaged.
In the method for fabricating the related art LCD module, the lamp wires 28 are formed in the mold frame 26, and the metal chassis is connected along the edge of the liquid crystal panel 10 and the mold frame 26 for a connection of the liquid crystal panel 10 to the backlight assembly. At this time, if any one of the wires comes out of the opening, the wires may be damaged due to the sharp edge of the metal chassis during connecting the metal chassis to the mold frame.